After joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Lorenzo Snow began serving missions to declare the news of the Restoration. This included time spent in London. On Oct. 10, 1842, Elder Snow presented two leather-bound copies of the Book of Mormon to Queen Victoria and her husband, Albert, the prince consort (see "Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow," by Eliza R. Snow). In 2011, some British Saints reported that these volumes were still in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle.
In between missions, Lorenzo Snow moved to Far West, Missouri, and then to Nauvoo, Illinois. While there, he had a strong impression come to him which he penned as follows: “As man now is, God once was. As God now is, man may be." This doctrinal notion was later validated by the Prophet Joseph Smith.
While in Illinois, Lorenzo married and later joined the body of Saints who began the trek across the continent to Utah. Known stops along the way include Sugar Creek, Garden Grove and Mount Pisgah, Iowa. While at Pisgah, Lorenzo Snow was appointed to preside over that temporary way station. Sadly, an infant daughter born to his wife, Charlotte, passed away and was buried there.
In 1848, he led about 25 families as they continued from Mount Pisgah to Council Bluffs. He was then appointed to be a captain over 100 families as they crossed the plains to Utah. Lorenzo Snow was instrumental in developing the Perpetual Emigration Fund. He called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1849 and then assigned to serve a mission in Italy.